Tag Archives: AMSAT-UK

Sep 18 2025

Book Now for AMSAT-UK Colloquium and Gala Dinner 2025

Kents Hill Park Conference Centre Milton Keynes MK7 6BZDid you know AMSAT-UK turns 50 in 2025!

The annual AMSAT-UK colloquium is fast approaching. Once again, it is being held at The Kent’s Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes alongside the RSGB Convention on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October 2025.

If you would like to attend the event, we have arranged a special discounted rate for overnight accommodation at the Delta by Marriott hotel which is 5 minutes drive from the conference centre. Cost is £89 for bed and breakfast for single occupancy or £99 for double occupancy.

Booking at this rate can be carried out at https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1752854002411&key=GRP&app=resvlink

This price is a limited time offer, after which rates will return to their standard level.

On the evening of Saturday 11th October, AMSAT-UK are holding a Gala Dinner at the hotel. This is a 3 course meal + tea / coffee which is £39.00 per person.

Full details, including menu choices, are available at the AMSAT-UK shop at https://shop.amsat-uk.org/product/amsat-uk-gala-dinner-2025

There are a limited number of available places remaining for the Gala dinner and registration for it closes on Wednesday 24th September at 1800 UTC so be sure to book your place to avoid disappointment.

Please note that you will be required to book a weekend ticket from the RSGB for attendance. Please see the RSGB booking website at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/radiosocietyofgreatbritain/1735267

Jul 25 2024

AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium 2024

Kents Hill Park Conference Centre Milton Keynes MK7 6BZAMSAT-UK is pleased to announce that the 2024 Colloquium will take place alongside the RSGB Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ on the weekend of 12/13th October 2024.

As in previous years, the AMSAT-UK Colloquium will run as a separate stream within the RSGB Convention and will include presentations on a variety of satellite and space related topics.

The Annual General Meeting of AMSAT-UK will take place during the colloquium.

An AMSAT Gala Dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday 12th October at the Marriott Delta Hotel on Trimbold Drive, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6HL. Attendance is restricted this year at the hotel and a limited number of tickets are on sale via the AMSAT-UK Online Shop https://shop.amsat-uk.org/

The cost of the Gala Dinner is £39 per person and includes a three course meal with tea / coffee at its conclusion.

Alongside the Gala Dinner, AMSAT-UK has negotiated a deal at the Marriott Delta for the evening of Saturday 12th October 2024. These rooms include breakfast on Sunday 13th and are priced at £89 per room for single occupancy. Tickets for the Gala Dinner can be purchased on the AMSAT-UK Online Shop.

Bookings for the Gala Dinner are now available on the AMSAT-UK Shop, but must close on 1st October 2024 unless sold out sooner, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Entrance to the RSGB Convention is managed by the RSGB and you will be required to purchase Day Tickets for the Saturday and/or Sunday to attend the AMSAT-UK Colloquium.

RSGB Convention booking is at https://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-2024-convention/

The schedule of Colloquium talks will be released closer to the date.

Jul 20 2015

DeorbitSail – Update after 1st week in space

First Week Update by Project Manager, Chiara Massimiani:

  • Friday, Successful launch at PSLV from FLP, SDSC SHAR, India. Click for PSLV-C28 Mission page & Youtube Launch Video. Antennas successfully deployed and beacon switched on.
  • First packets received by AMSAT’er Ken Swaggart W7KKE in Lincoln, OR, USA at 20:29.
  • First packets received by Surrey Space Centre’s Satellite Operations Centre at 22:21:51 which confirmed satellite state. The DOS Team declare the satellite healthy from downlinked telemetry.
  • Saturday, first telemetry uplink requests set and successfully received back in the operations centre.
  • Communication tests activated to confirm satellite mode operations.
  • Monday, communications tests complete. The team declare the uplink and downlink as sufficient to facilitate the full mission operations.
  • Thursday, Transition from Launch & Early Operations (LEOP) Communication Mode to Nominal Communication Mode after further uplink tests.
  • Friday, Begin early ADCS commissioning.

    DeorbitSail CubeSat with Sail deployed

    DeorbitSail CubeSat with Sail deployed

Expected operations in the coming month:

  • Week commencing 20th July: Attitude Determination & Control System (ADCS) Commissioning phase to obtain attitude data.
  • After three or four weeks: End ADCS Commissioning phase with a stable attitude.
  • In one month: Payload commissioning phase – solar panel and sail deployment which completes all major operations before deorbiting.

AMSAT and supporters are, again, so very welcome to help out by receiving the beacons so we can accelerate our commissioning. Further plans are available here: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ssc/research/space_vehicle_control/deorbitsail/

Please continue to send in your data to deorbitsail.message@gmail.com

DeorbitSail 145.975 MHz BPSK telemetry format https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/telemetry/deorbitsail/

Oct 16 2013

FUNcube-1 has left the cleanroom

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The exciting news is that FUNcube-1 CubeSat is now en-route to the Yasny launch site.

It was flown on a special flight from Rotterdam yesterday and it cleared through Russian customs this morning.

Well before the launch date, Dashboard software, to decode and display the telemetry, will be made available for download, this will function on any windows pc or laptop using either a Dongle or a 2 metre SSB capable receiver. Additionally a set of pre-launch keps will also be distributed.

This launch is expected to carry more than ten spacecraft using the amateur satellite service and one of them will, itself, later deploy up to nine CubeSats and PocketQubes so there should be plenty of new signals to listen for after this launch.

More info about FUNcube and some pictures can be seen here www.funcube.org.uk

Jun 12 2013

Summer Issue of OSCAR News

OSCAR News 202 June 2013E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the PDF of the Summer edition of the OSCAR News magazine here (as well as previous 2012 issues).

The paper edition should be posted to members soon.

In this issue
• GAMANET: Networking QB50
• Spectrum pressures continue
• Tim Peake to be first UK astronaut in space for over 20 years
• CubeSat launches 2013
• OFCOM Consultation
• IARU News
• AMSAT- FOX- launch date announced
• We love the amateur radio enthusiasts!
• D-STAR digital amateur communications in space with OUFTI-1 CubeSat
• FUNcube Report
• The ESEO Project – Spring Update
• Ham Video—a DATV transmitter on Columbus by Gaston Bertels ON4WF
• Raspberry Eye in The Sky
• Shorts and Notices

The AMSAT-UK Membership year lasts for 12 months starting on January 1 each year.

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

Membership of AMSAT-UK is open to anyone who has an interest in amateur radio satellites or space activities, including the International Space Station (ISS).

E-members of AMSAT-UK are able to download OSCAR News as a convenient PDF that can be read on laptops, tablets or smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Join as an E-member at Electronic (PDF) E-membership

There are two rates for the paper edition to cover the extra postage costs:
UK
Rest of the World (Overseas)

PDF sample copy of “Oscar News” here.

Join AMSAT-UK using PayPal, Debit or Credit card at
http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_9/Join-Amsat-UK.html

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News here.

Jun 10 2013

Video – Amateur Radio FUNcube Satellites by Howard G6LVB

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

AMSAT-UK representative Howard Long, G6LVB, in his presentation at the AMSAT Forum at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention describes recent activities at AMSAT-UK.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 and UKube-1 (which carries the FUNcube-2 boards) both have dual STEM education and ham radio missions, including SSB/CW linear transponders. Howard also touches on the FUNcube ground station for schools using the FUNcube Dongle Software Defined Radio (SDR) and preliminary plans for other satellites.

It is expected that FUNcube-1 wil be launched around November 2013 on a Dnepr rocket from from Dombarovsky near Yasny. UKube-1 with the FUNcube-2 boards currently plans to launch in the 3rd quarter of 2013 from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz-2.

Watch FUNcube Satellites, by Howard G6LVB – 2013 Dayton Hamvention

FUNcube Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube

FUNcube Dongle LF/MF/HF/VHF/UHF SDR http://www.FUNcubeDongle.com/